CDMTCI Manfeild Track Day, 19 April 2009

[Monamie]

Looking very `smooth' Sly

[cowboyz]

Some good shots of you there too! Need to get infield for the entire track I'd say - next time hopefully

yep. that must have been the first session out where we got tied up a fair it in traffic

Thinking the fast group next time up. Should probably have gone there this round but always get nervous due to the whole once a year tracktime. We have to get organised and get to some more!

[robertydog]

Thinking the fast group next time up.

[Beemer]

oh only two compliants, the guy on the GPZ in the race group shouldnt have been out there even the 125's were faster than him on the straights and i hear some dickhead (who wasnt a marshal) ran across the track during a race group session to help pick up a fallen bike and then run back across the track! i hope the organizers gave him a kick up the arse.

First point - the guy on the GPZ was apparently adamant he wanted to go in the race session, so he was allowed. Nothing untoward was noticed in the first session, however in the second session it was noted by the marshals that he was going far too slow to be in that session (one said he would have been too slow for the medium session) so he was told he had to change groups.

Second point - the dickhead (and I know him, so this is a pretty apt description, trust me!) who ran across the track to pick up the bike of what was allegedly "some hot chick" was a former club member who had arrived wanting to do the track day for free (please note, ALL our club members pay full price to do the track day, but they get extra sessions at the end once the public goes home) and was told that wasn't an option. He then said he'd help out, and he was spotted during this idiotic move and given a right bollocking immediately afterwards!

[Beemer]

I think that pre booking isn't very fair on those of us without a credit card or regular internet access.

Prebooking is being considered but not all committee members are in favour of it. One comment was that if we did prebookings and got people to pay their money into the club's account, we would have no way of controlling the numbers, but I disagree. For a start, if we opened prebooking a couple of months prior to a track day, people would have to email us to express interest and we would then forward our bank account details. That way we could keep an eye on the number of emails we were getting and say at a certain point that the track day was fully subscribed and no more bookings were being accepted.

We put up posters in bike shops around the lower north island and we always have a phone number on them for more information. We certainly wouldn't be taking credit card bookings and although people would have the option of paying by internet banking, they would have to contact us first as we would be giving them a number to use as a reference. Otherwise we'd get all sorts turning up on the day and saying "but I paid online!" and we would have no way of knowing who had and who hadn't. Not sure how it would all work out, but we'd probably send the people an email and ask them to print it out and bring it to the track day with ID.

If the day had to be cancelled by us or by Manfeild, a full refund would be given. If it was wet and you decided not to bother coming, tough luck, no refund. If you couldn't make the day, you could nominate a friend to come in your place, but again, no refund.

[cowboyz]

I dont like the idea of pre-booking.

Firstly I really dont like doing trackdays in the wet. Well even in the damp really, and yes, I am that much of a blouse. So prepay and it turns out to be an average day and I lose my money for nothing. Of course it helps that I live 10 mins from manfield so I can decide on the morning of if I want to go or not. Not so helpful for those travelling a distance.

[Clivoris]

Well done CDMTC. It was fantastic to see the huge range of riders out there having a go, even if it meant less track time for all of us. It's grown up to share.

[quallman1234]

Pre-book, instead of pre-pay, then. So the numbers are kept down to 120.

[cowboyz]

Pre-book, instead of pre-pay, then. So the numbers are kept down to 120.

then what happens when it is a bit drizzlily and 30 riders go fuckit not getting out of bed today.

[Beemer]

I dont like the idea of pre-booking.

Firstly I really dont like doing trackdays in the wet. Well even in the damp really, and yes, I am that much of a blouse. So prepay and it turns out to be an average day and I lose my money for nothing. Of course it helps that I live 10 mins from manfield so I can decide on the morning of if I want to go or not. Not so helpful for those travelling a distance.

Pre-book, instead of pre-pay, then. So the numbers are kept down to 120.

We will never please everyone, no matter what we do, that's obvious! If you want to ensure you have a place, then prebooking is the only way to guarantee that. If you don't feel like coming/it's wet/you have a hangover/or whatever, tough luck, we keep your money. This is the way most things that require prepayment work otherwise we could end up seriously out of pocket if it's a cold wet day and only the race guys show up and everyone else who has prebooked wants their money back. We still have to pay for the track unless it's unusable, and I doubt we'd get our money back from Manfeild unless it was an amazing storm that made it too dangerous to use the track.

As for prebooking but not prepaying - definitely NOT an option. What if we said 120 places and had 120 bookings but no money - and only 20 of you bothered to turn up? Not only would we be out of pocket, but we'd also have turned away others who may have turned up if we'd not been fully booked.

Sorry, but you can't have it both ways. Either we go down the track of prebooking and prepaying for a track day or we leave it as is and if you want to be assured of a place, you have to get there bloody early!

[ajw_888]

I guess there not one size fits all answer, perhaps easier with no pre booking because of all the variables. "Build it and they will come" and they sure did.

I only just made it in, I turned up at 8-40 8-50'sh, got stopped at the first gate(shut), made it to the second, got told they are full, so parked up. Walked around and joined the queue, slydesign and gang were behind me + others. 20 minutes later, we were all signed in. A couple of guys I knew arrived at the same time, didn't queue and missed out - leaving a little pissed.

By contrast the Vic club day, it was raining from Wellington to Levin, showers all morning at the track. All afternoon brillant sunshine. At 9-00am there was bugger all people, I got a great pit stall and because there were so few people there were plenty of sessions.

Perhaps the message is, if the weathers good, it's your last chance for a end of season track day and you know the days are well run - get there early. Just a bummer if you had to drive/ride few a few hours, only to get turned away. I thought loading the van at 6-00am, grabbing some breakie and leaving the Hutt early was sweet - but only just.

[chanceyy]

Prebooking is being considered but not all committee members are in favour of it. One comment was that if we did prebookings and got people to pay their money into the club's account, we would have no way of controlling the numbers, but I disagree. For a start, if we opened prebooking a couple of months prior to a track day, people would have to email us to express interest and we would then forward our bank account details. That way we could keep an eye on the number of emails we were getting and say at a certain point that the track day was fully subscribed and no more bookings were being accepted.

We put up posters in bike shops around the lower north island and we always have a phone number on them for more information. We certainly wouldn't be taking credit card bookings and although people would have the option of paying by internet banking, they would have to contact us first as we would be giving them a number to use as a reference. Otherwise we'd get all sorts turning up on the day and saying "but I paid online!" and we would have no way of knowing who had and who hadn't. Not sure how it would all work out, but we'd probably send the people an email and ask them to print it out and bring it to the track day with ID.

If the day had to be cancelled by us or by Manfeild, a full refund would be given. If it was wet and you decided not to bother coming, tough luck, no refund. If you couldn't make the day, you could nominate a friend to come in your place, but again, no refund.

I would be in favour of pre booking and pre pay esp if you can not make it & can nominate a friend to do it .. not that hard to monitor .. you have to produce a licence at sign in so if you pre pay another que to set up & check licences against names .. can set up on excel & would have it in alphabetical order ..

[Hawkeye]

We will never please everyone, no matter what we do, that's obvious! If you want to ensure you have a place, then prebooking is the only way to guarantee that. If you don't feel like coming/it's wet/you have a hangover/or whatever, tough luck, we keep your money. This is the way most things that require prepayment work otherwise we could end up seriously out of pocket if it's a cold wet day and only the race guys show up and everyone else who has prebooked wants their money back. We still have to pay for the track unless it's unusable, and I doubt we'd get our money back from Manfeild unless it was an amazing storm that made it too dangerous to use the track.

As for prebooking but not prepaying - definitely NOT an option. What if we said 120 places and had 120 bookings but no money - and only 20 of you bothered to turn up? Not only would we be out of pocket, but we'd also have turned away others who may have turned up if we'd not been fully booked.

Sorry, but you can't have it both ways. Either we go down the track of prebooking and prepaying for a track day or we leave it as is and if you want to be assured of a place, you have to get there bloody early!

My sentimates exactly. Keep like it is - You lie in, you miss out.

[Little Smurf]

Hey all, great to read all your comments on the day. After speaking to a few people from Welly on Saturday night we all started to think that the day was going to be bigger than our last trackday and when I turned up (I thought it was early) at 7.30am I was shocked to see that people lined up at the bridge! Never seen it like that for Vic Seris, and Isn't it funny that only motorcyclists turn up early!!!! Well we did have a great turn out and yes you are right there were a few people there than we normally have. However saying that it seemed to go really well, a few offs and over runs on the track, but people's attitudes were great and it is always a pleasure to see everyone having a GREAT time. Comments noted about pre-paid and have guys were coming up to me at the end of the day to express the same opinion. I think it's a good idea, but the committee have to agree upon this, I will be having a chat to them one night and will get over as many sernarios as possible to make sure that we can keep on having a great day out and to make it as easy as possible when signing you all in. It seems to work for Taupo and the likes don't see why not for us. We did shut the gates and yes people did get turned away, so it's like that ole saying - early bird catches the worm blah blah blah.

[325rocket]

Second point - the dickhead who ran across the track to pick up the bike of what was allegedly "some hot chick" was a former club member who had arrived wanting to do the track day for free

i can clear this one for ya rite now. theres no "allegedly" about it, she was smokin hot!